Srinagar, July 07: In a setback for devotees, the ongoing Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended on Friday as inclement weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and landslides, posed significant challenges. The adverse weather affected both the higher and plains regions of Kashmir, bringing down temperatures in the Himalayan area.
Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, informed Rising Kashmir that the Yatra was suspended due to the unfavorable weather conditions. The pilgrimage will resume once the weather improves in the region, he added.
A fresh group of 4,600 pilgrims from Jammu were halted in Chanderkot, while another batch of 2,410 devotees en route to the Baltal camp were allowed to proceed. Unfortunately, heavy showers that began early on Friday led to the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage. Consequently, pilgrims were held at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps.
Later in the evening, a landslide near Rail Patri along the Baltal-holy cave axis further disrupted the route. Efforts were underway to clear the debris, which was estimated to take approximately two hours to restore passage for the Yatris.
As a precautionary measure, no pilgrims were permitted to proceed towards the cave shrine from either side on Friday. Reports indicated heavy rains near the holy cave shrine, which also resulted in a drop in temperatures.
On Thursday, a total of 17,202 pilgrims had paid their respects at the holy cave shrine, contributing to the cumulative count of devotees who have undertaken the pilgrimage in the Himalayas.
The annual Amarnath Yatra, spanning 62 days, commenced on July 1. Pilgrims embark on the journey from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district, with the yatra slated to conclude on August 31.
This year, over 300,000 devotees have registered for the Amarnath Yatra, surpassing the previous year’s figure of 365,000 pilgrims who visited the holy shrine.
